Micellar Effects upon p-n-Butylaniline Catalyzed Decarboxylation of Oxalacetic Acid

p-n-Butylaniline ([nBA] = 1 × 10 −3  M) incorporated in cationic micelles of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide ([CTABr] = 6 × 10 −3 M) was found to enhance the rate of decarboxylation of oxalacetic acid (OAA) 45-fold while nBA alone only increases the rate six-fold as compared to the rate of spontaneous decarboxylation at the same pH. Anionic micelles of sodium dodecyl sulfate ([SDS] = 6 × 10 −3  M) completely inhibited the catalytic effect of nBA. Together with the effects of added salts and the change of pH on the rate of the reaction the role of micelles in the decarboxylation of OAA is discussed.